Divers continued their search Monday for Brandon Pino, the highschool senior who jumped off the Staten Island Ferry over the weekend, police mentioned.
NYPD crews resumed their seek for Brandon and for a second teen, a 15-year-old woman feared drowned within the East River beneath the Roosevelt Island Bridge after she fell from the rocks about 12:15 p.m. on Friday, a police spokesman mentioned.
In the meantime, Brandon’s determined household visited an NYPD stationhouse Monday and spoke to with detective there, hoping for updates however receiving none. They’ve additionally visited and referred to as native hospitals, hoping the teenager may flip up alive there.
The 17-year-old Port Richmond boy left a goodbye word on Instagram earlier than taking the 9:30 a.m. ferry from Staten Island to Manhattan on Saturday, his household says.
His eldest sister, Cathleen, 27, says the household is hoping public consideration may result in Brandon’s restoration. They’re holding out hope he survived due to a radio transmission that “stated he was seen swimming” after leaping from the boat.
“We are continuing to do our own search by checking all the nearby water borders, Battery Park, Brooklyn piers, including Governors Island,” she mentioned. She is hoping the protection of the seek for Brandon additionally brings extra consciousness to psychological well being points.
Brandon’s sister mentioned “everything seemed normal” within the days main as much as when her brother jumped. “He was getting ready to go to college. He was going to his graduation practice,” she mentioned.
Brandon, a senior at Gaynor McCown Expeditionary Studying College on Staten Island, lives together with his mom and two older sisters. His mates informed his household he’d been completely satisfied in school in current days and he was centered on his health and cooking wholesome meals.
“He was a straight-A student,” his sister mentioned. “He always did his chores at home, always respectful. He would help with our niece and nephews. My sister, she also has two kids, and he would try to spend time with them. And this just came so unexpected to us.”
Courtesy of household
Brandon Pino, 17, is lacking after leaping off the Staten Island Ferry on Saturday. (Courtesy of household)
The morning he jumped, he despatched a gaggle of mates more and more alarming textual content messages, his sister mentioned.
“In one of those messages he wishes his friends a farewell, telling them to stay true to themselves and that he loves them,” she mentioned. “And then he sent a picture that he was on the ferry, on the outer part of the ferry, looking towards the water.”
He informed his mates that he was going to leap off the boat.
“He did joke about it a few times — laughing, jokingly — so they didn’t know if it was serious this time,” Cathleen mentioned. “But then two minutes after, he leaves his friends on read.”
One in every of his friends referred to as him 4 instances, however Brandon left his backpack and telephone behind when he jumped, his sister mentioned. “By that time it was already too late,” she mentioned.
For these considering suicide, the Nationwide Suicide Prevention Lifeline is reachable 24/7 at (800) 273-8255. They’ll additionally name 311 or 911 for assist.
New York Metropolis additionally has a number of sources, together with NYC Nicely — town’s free and confidential hotline — that gives psychological or substance abuse assist 24 hours a day over the telephone, by means of its on-line chat or through textual content.
With Rocco Parascandola
Initially Revealed: June 2, 2025 at 3:43 PM EDT
